Incubator.



J. G. OONGREVE.

INGUBAT OR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1911.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

M/VE/VTOR ATTORNEY 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

wmvsssss #W M 7 25M J'. G. GONGREVE.

INGUBATOR.

, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1911. 1,036,456., Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gg vewtoz By W To it may concern i specified -UM1 D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Be it known that I, JoHNG. Consnnvn', a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve-V ments in Incubators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements'fin .combined incubators and-brooders and the same has for its object more particularly to provide a simple, eflicient and reliable apparatusfor artificially. hatching and rearing-poultry. p

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an apparatus for the purposes which may be initially used .as an incubator,

out material change as a brooder. Further, said invention has for its object to provide an incubatorfin which a minimum temperature may be constantly maintained and a predetermined temperature in excess of said minimum temperature automatically .ma'intained and controlled.

To the attainmentof the aforesaid bbjects and ends'my invention consistsof the novel details of construction and in the combinahereinafter more fully tion, connection and arrangement of, partsv pointed out in the claimsshowing'one form of apparatus constructed according to and embodying my said inven- 46 tion; Fig. 2 is'a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;"Fig. 3 is a' detail perspective View showing the construction I of connecting the same.

' In said drawin comprising a dou le-wfall'ed casing 10 which of the circuit closing device, and Fig. 4i's a diagrammatic view showing the arrange? 'mentof lights which serve-asthe heating. agent; the circuit closing device, and method the incubator is shown as is open at its bottom and su p r eddn an between the inner and outer walls of the The forward edge of thetray is supported and after the hatch is completed the apparatus'may be continued in use with? adjacent toits 10 described and then,

. 1 the interior of t In he accompanying-drawings formingpart of this specification wherein 'like'nu'merals of reference indicate like parts, Figure" I is :1 plan or top view, partly broken out,

.23. is adapted -Jenn e. co vennvn, or"nnw roan; it Y. a

Speciflcation of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 20, 1912- I Application filed August 23, 1911. Serial No. 645,597.

permit of the examination of'both the in cubator and. brooder sections of the apparatus. Upon the innerrear side of the easing 10, on abouta line with the bottom of Q the door 12, is secured a supportin cleat 14 having a forwardly projecting le vge 14*.

" '15 denotes a tray comprising a rectangular frame 16 having a bottomf17 of felt or other" suitable material secured to the undersidethereof. 'The rear edge of the frame 16' is with the ledge 14 extending from the cleat 14 secured to the inner side of the casing.

in position by means of turn buttons l7 17 secured to the underside of the casing. adjacent to its forward edge. Upon the opposite inner side of the=casing 10, a short distance above the tray 15', are secured guide and supporting cleats 18, 19, respectively between which the egg tray 2015 removably supported. The said eggtray 20 comprises a frame 21 alon the inner sides of which r" edges are secured strips 21, 21, and adjacent to the forward edge ofsai'd tray is provided an additional trans verse strip 21*. 1

22 denotes a covering of wire netting'or analogous material secured within the frame 21 upon the upper. surfaces of the strips-21, 21 The said trag 20 is made smaller than e casing '10 .in .order. to provide a space adjacent to the forward edge thereof.

23" denotes a; smaller frame comprising longitudinal frame members 23 and ,a trans- I verse member .23", and 24 denotes a covering of wire netting secured within the frame 23 upon saidstrips 23, 23 and" 23 The frame.

to be fitted into the forward portionof the casin' intermediate the tray ,20 and the front wa of the casing 10. The frame 23 .withits attached covering 23 forms a trap door' which maybe removed. after the hatch-has been started to permit the young chickens to drop therethrough and" into the brooder section of the apparatus. Upon the inner side ofthe top of the casing a number of incandescent electric lamps are arrangfld. The numberofthese lamps varies 1, accor g to the s'izefof: the apparatus. In instancefour lamps 25, 25, 26,26,

in two The thepresent are employed, wh ch are arranged series eachwompnsing two lamps. lamps 25,,25,are permanently connected provided with a recess 16 adapted to engage in no necting The lamps 26, 26, on the other hand, While.

the circuit including conductors 27, 28, leading respectively to and from the source of electric energy, and by a conductor 29 conthe remaining poles of said lamps.

permanently connected to the conductors 27, 28, are connected with each other by conductors 30, 30, which include an automatic circuit closer 31. The circuit closer 31 serves to interrupt the circuit and automatically extinguish the lamps 26,26 when the tem- Y perature rises above the predetermined degree.

' 32 denotes a thermostat comprising a tubular support 33' having its upper end secured within and extendln'g through the top of the casing 10. To the lower end of said tubular support 33 is secured a voke 34 within which are. arranged a plurality of superposed receptacles .35, 35, which are connected together and the lower one of said receptacles is secured to the lower end or member of the yoke 34 while the upper receptacle is connected to a rod 36 extending to the tubular support 33, and to the other of said receptacles 35. The receptacles 35,

35, may be filledwith mercury, ether or other volatile fluid. -Upon the top of thecasing'adjacent tolthe upper end of the tubular support 33 is secured a bearing 37 in which is pivotally mounted a beam 38 to which is pivotally secured, adjacent to the bearing 37, the upper end of the rod 36.

The circuit closer 31 is secured upon,the underside of the top of the casing and comprises the base 39 having secured to the opposite ends thereof depending blocks 40,41

. material.

made of :fiber or other suitable insulating To the underside of the block 41 is secured a metal contact plate 42 which is maintained in position by screws 42 to which is also connected one end of the con' ductor To the underside of the block 40 is secured by screws 43 a hinged member 44. The ,free portion of said hinged member 44, adjacent to its point of supportyis provided with an opening, and above and below said opening are secured plates of insulating material 45 having openings 46 therein, and adjacent to the free end of [said hinged member issecured a contact point 47 which is adapted to engage with an adjustable contact screw 48 extending through. the plate42. A spring .47 is secured to the insulating block 40 and has its free end bearing upon the hinged member 44 in order to maintain the forward end thereof in contact with the screw 48 on the -plate 42. The contact point 47 is connected to one end of the conductor 30 leading from one of thelamps 26. The base 39 is provided with an aperture 48 which registers with theapertures 46 in plates 45 on the hinged contact member 44. I

51 denotes a tubular bushing also preferably made of insulating .material, which' extends through the top of-the casing and the opening 48 in the base 39. The said tubular bushing serves as an air vent for the escape'of the heated air when the'temperature within the casing 10 rises above the predetermined degree.

52 denotes'a screw-threaded rod which is secured at its upper end to one end of the beam 38 and has its other end extending through the bushing 51, and the opening 46 in the hinged member 44, and 53 denotes an adjusting nut arranged upon the lower end of the rod 52. Adjacent to the upper end of the rod 52 is disposed a cap 54 adapted toseal the upper end of the bushing 51 in order to control the escape of the heated air from the interiorof the casing. The

said cap 54 is maintained in its adjusted position upon the rod 52 by adjusting nuts 55, 55, arranged above and below said cap. Upon the opposite end of the beam 38*is arranged an adjustable counterweight 57 and intermediate the rod 52 and the bearing 37 said beam 38 is provided with an adjusting screw 58 by means of which jointly with the adjusting nut 53, on the rod 52, the cir- 19, 19, are provided a plurality of lamp sockets 59, 59, which are permanently connected with the source, of electric energy.

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These sockets are adapted to receive lamps after thew-hatch is completed in order to maintain the interior of the casing above the lower tray 15 at a proper uniform temperature. The lower portion of the, casing 10 intermediate the legs 11 is provided with a series of'overlapping vertical flaps made of felt or analogous material to permit the young chickens to pass in and out of the lower portion of the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The eggs are placed ,upon the trays and assuming that the circuit closer 30 has been adjusted to maintain a predetermined temperature the current is then turned on a and the lamps 25, 26, caused to glow. Should the temperature within the casing rise above the predetermined degree, the expansionof the fluid within the thermostat casings 35,, 35, will cause the beam 38 to be slightly lamps, namely 26, 26, and at the same time the cap 54 will be raised from the top of raised, and this in turn will. break thesecondary circuit and extinguish two of the the bushing 51 and permit the hot air from the interior of the casing to escape through said bushing. This action will then continue until the temperature within the casing again falls and causes "the thermostat to resume its initial position, cap 54 to seal the air outlet again, and the circuit closer 31 to complete the circuit again and cause all the lamps to glow.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by-Lettersfatent is:

1. A combined incubator and brooder comprising a casing having an air outlet therein, means for malntainmg said air 'outlet normally sealed, egg supporting means arranged in said casing, electric heating means comprising two parts arranged in ,said casing, a circuit-closing device in circuit with one of said parts; said circuitclosing device comprising a fixed member and a movable member connected to the means for sealing said air outlet, a thermostatic controlling device, means connecting said thermostatic controlling device with the means for sealing said outlet whereby to simultaneously open the sealing means for said air outlet and to operate the movable member of said circuit-closing device to break the circuit "including said part of the electric heating means above-named, substantially as specified.

2. A combined incubator and brooder comprising a casing having an air outlet therein, a cover for maintaining said air (outlet normally sealed, an egg supporting tray arranged in said casing, a plurality of electric heating devices arranged in said casing above said egg supporting tray, a circuit-closing device in circuit with certain of said "electric heating devices; said circuitclosing device comprising a fixed member and a movable member connected to the cover for sealing said air outlet, a thermostatic controller, a beam pivotally mounted upon said casing, a rod connecting one end of said beam with said thermostatic controller, a rod connecting the other end of said beam-with the movable member of said circuit-closing device and the cover for said air outlet whereby-to simultaneously open the cover of said air outlet and'to operate the movable member of said circuitclosing device to break the circuitincludi the certain of the electric heating devices above-named, substantially as specified.

3. A! combined incubator and 'brooder comprising a' casing having an air outlet therein, a cover for maintaining said air outlet normally sealed, an egg supporting heating devices arranged in said casing above said egg supporting tray, a circuit closing device in circuit with" certain of said electric heating devices; said circuit-closing movable member adjustably connected to the cover for sealing said air outlet, a thermostatic controller, abeam pivotally mounted upon said casing, a rod connecting one end of said beam with said thermostatic controller, a rod connecting the other end of said beani with the movable portion of said circuit-closer and the coverfor said air outlet whereby to, simultaneously open the movable member of said circuit-c osing detain of the electric heating devices above: mentioned, substantially as specified. v p

4. A combined incubator and brooder "mounted contact member of said circuit-v closing device, and a cover for said air outlet adjustably mounted upon said last-named rod, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city-of New York,- in the county and State of New York, this 18th day of August, nineteen hundred and'eleven.

Witnesses:

Comma A. Dre'rnmon, Josnrn G. QUINN, Jr,

cover of said air outlet, and to o erate the vice to break the circuit including the ceri I tray arranged in said casing, a plurality of device comprising a fixed member and a comprising a casing, an air .outlet therein,

other end of said beam, means for adjustablyi connecting said rod with the pivotally JOHN G. CONGREV'E. l 

